ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rush · plane · sharp · can · mug · fork · pitcher · land

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. plane — a tool
  4. land — to come down
  5. can — a tin
  6. mug — a cup
  7. can — a tin
  8. land — ground
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. rush — hurry
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. mug — a face
  13. sharp — clever
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. can — to be able to
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. fork — in a road
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. mug — to rob
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. land — a country

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com